Most medieval medicines were "simples" made of herbal
ingredients, which were taken raw or in teas. One medicine that
apothecaries (forerunners of chemists and pharmacists) dispensed was
called "treacle" (theriac). Treacle was considered a cure-all. It was
said to prevent internal swellings, cure fevers, unblock internal
stoppages,
alleviate heart problems, epilepsy, and palsy, get rid of blemishes,
induce sleep, improve digestion, strengthen limbs, heal wounds, remedy
snake bites, cure prolapsed uteruses, and cure the plague.

The formula for treacle stems from a recipe developed by the Greek
physician Galen and includes more than 60 ingredients, including the
roasted skin of vipers. It took 40 days to make and 12 years to mature.